Oil filter



Dec. 28, 1937. R H. pENNEBAgqR 2,103,434

OIL FILTER Filed Sept. 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 28, 1937. l R. H. PENNEBAKER 2,103,434

OIL FILTER Filed Sept. 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v JAVA-YA INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 28, 1'93'7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 15 Claims.

My invention relates broadly to oil filters and more particularly to a construction of oil filter including a renewable filter element which may be readily cleaned and renewed from time to 5 time.

One of the objects of my linvention is to provide an inexpensive construction of oil filter employing filtering material which may be cleaned from time to time to allow continuous use of the filter over a relativelylong period of time While securing efficient filtration of oil.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simplified construction of renewable oil filter which employs carded asbestos as a filtering medium. A

Still another object of my invention is to provide a renewable oil filter which combines the advantageous filtration qualities of carded asbestos and bone char.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction of filter having primary and secondary filtering compartments through` which used oil is passed under pressure for filtering the oil through carded asbestos in the primary filtering compartment and through bone char in the secondary filtering compartment for eff fectively cleaning the used oil. Y

A still further object of my invention is to provide a construction of lfilter in which a renewable filter unit is provided withv permanent electrical heating means by which the filter unit may be connected in a heating circuit and baked for a period of time for driving out all foreign matter and rejuvenating the filter unitfor subse-v quent use.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the construction of filter and process of rejuvenating the filter as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter followingby reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: y

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional vView taken through the filter of my invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the filter taken` on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is `a horizontal se'c'tional View taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional vieW taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 shows the filter removedV from'the casing and 50 showing the electrical heating coil in the primary filter connected in a heating circuit While the 'filter units are subjected to a blast of air forced through the filter units in a direction opposite to the normal direction of oil flow through the filter; and Fig. 6 shows a modified arrangement of the heating coil within the primary filter unit.

My invention is directed to a simplified construction of oil filter having numerous applications both in the industrial and automotive arts. I provide a primary and secondary filtering compartment built into a, single unit which is readily removable for reclaiming and replacing with respect to a main casing. 'I'he primary compartment contains packed carded asbestos which serves as a filter medium for continuous filtration of lubricating oils and like products. An electrical heating element extends through the packed carded asbestos in the primary filtering compartment and serves to provide means for baking the carded asbestos when the filtering unit is removed from the casing. That is so say, the electrical heating winding is connected in a power supply circuit and the primary filter compartments subjected to a baking action under control of the heating winding. 'Ihe carded asbestos may be used with either cold or extremely hot lubricants. The material is indestructible where oil vapors are passed through it and maintains a high filtering efiiciency even at high temperatures. The carded asbestos ,serves-as an efiicient filtering medium for all grades of lubricating oil and like products. The fact that the carded asbestos with ordinary'use and care is indestructible insures a long effective life. The carded asbestos may bereclaimed after collecting foreign matter filtered from the oil by the baking process which is accomplished by the employment of the electrical heating winding provided in the primary filtering compartment in the filter of my invention.

I also provide a secondary filtering compartment which includes a plurality of sections of bone char separated by screens which coact with the bone char in filtering foreign matter Y from the oil. 'I'he secondary filtering compart-l ment is disposed in a series path with. the primary filtering compartment, so that the used oil is first acted upon by the carded asbestos and then filtered through the bone char and screens disposed in the secondary filtering compartment The filter is rejuvenated or reclaimed after ithas become filled with foreign matter, gum and particles collected from the oil, by removing the filtering unit from the casing and connecting the electrical heating winding in the primary filtering compartment in a power circuit whereby the asbestos is slowly baked and foreign matter, gum and particles collected from the oil vaporized or loosened sufficiently to enable such matter to be forced out `of the lter under the pressure of compressed air, which is passed through the lter unit in a direction opposite to the normal path of oil ow through the filter. The reclaiming process restores the filter to substantially its original efliciency, allowing reuse and extended life for the lter. v

Referring to the drawings in more detail, reference character I designates the lter container or casing which encloses the filter unit. The casing is provided with a detachable head 2 secured to the annular flange Ia of casing I by means of screws 2a passing through gasket 2b. The detachable head 2 .provides connecting means for the used oil inlet connection 3, and the filtered oil outlet connection 4. The filter unit is supported within the casing I on lugs Ib which project radially inwardly from the interior wall of casing I. The filter unit comprises a central tubular member 5 having an upper head 6 and a lower head `I. The upper head 6 is provided with an inner annular shoulder 6a and an outer annular shoulder 6b. The lower head I is provided with an inner annular shoulder 'Ia and an outer annular shoulder lb. These coacting shoulders are aligned one above the other to provide supports for the cylindrical Ascreen-like walls forming the container for the primary filtering compartment.

I have shown the primary ltering compartment as contained between the metallic screen- .like inner cylindrical wall 8 and the outer metallic cylindrical screen-like wall I8. II'he screenlike wall 8 is welded at its extremities to the annular shoulders 6a and 'Ia of heads 6 and 'I. The screen-likewall I0 is welded at its extremities to the annular shoulders 6b and Ib of heads 6 and 'I. The cylindrical screen-like walls are each multilayered. 'Ihe inner lining of the primary compartment is formed by screens 8a and I0a which may be #20 mesh screen. The outer covering 8b and IUb is formed from hardware cloth of oneeighth inch mesh or finer size. 'Ihe screen-like walls 8 and I 0 welded to the upper and lower heads 6 and I form a rigid container for the carded asbestos which is illed into the primary filtering compartment. The carded asbestos has a shredded characteristic and is capable of being packed into the primary filtering container by i blowing the bresof the asbestos through the aperture I I in the head 6 of the filtering unit. A multiplicity of filling apertures may be provided in the head to insure the more rapid packing of the asbestos fibres in the primary filtering oompartment if desired; By reason of the' packing operation the asbestos fibres are closely compacted as shown at I2 within the primary filtering compartment. The electrical heating coil is self-supporting in construction and has the4 turns thereof disposed at spaced intervals as represented at I4 arranged centrally with respect to the compacted mass of asbestos libres within the primary flltering compartment.

The opposite ends of the electrical heating Winding I4 are provided with suitable terminals for facilitating the connection of the heating Winding in a power supply circuit when the lter unit is removed from the casing I. In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 145 the upper end of heating winding I4 is grounded as indicated at I5 to the upper head 6 of the lter unit. The lower end of electrical heating winding I4 connects to terminal I6 supported in insulated bushing I'I. Terminal I6 is suitably screwthreaded so that binding post IBa may be screwed thereon as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 when the lter coil I4 to the upper head' 6 I may protect thel end of winding I4 by means of an insulated bushing I8A as shown in Fig'. 6. In this' arrangement the end of winding I4 may be protected by extending the end of the winding through insulated bushing I8 to terminal I9 which does not project any substantial distance beyond the upper detachable head 42 to allow clearancebeneath the head 2 of container I. Screw device I9a may be engagedwith terminal I9 when the filter unit is connected in the power circuit for rejuvenating the lter unit.

The secondary ltering compartment is disposed centrally of the filter unit within the central tubular member 5. 'Ihe central tubular member 5 is provided with a peripheral row of apertures 20 near the base of the tubular member to allow the oil which has been filtered through the primary ltering compartment to pass into the secondary filtering compartment by way of the narrow path 9 between the inner wall 8 of the primary ltering compartment and the exterior wall of the central tubular member 5. The secondary compartment includes al plurality of sections iilled with bone char, filtering clay, or fullers earth or vthe like. The several sections are formed by the arrangement of sets of supporting rings which I have indicated at 2|, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26, which aresuitably secured at spaced intervals to the interior cylindrical wall of the central tubular member 5.-

The sets of supporting rings 26 serve to mount the asbestos mat 2'I between the screen members 28 and 29 adjacent the top of the secondary ltering compartment. To secure adequate filtering action and'proper support for asbestos mat 2'I the screen members 28 and 29 are ofrelatively ne mesh, such as #80 wire mesh screen. The screen members which are mounted between sets of supporting rings 2 I-26 may be selected of such sizes as to insure adequate ltering action. I have found stili #30 mesh screen suitable for this purpose, The screen members are mounted at 3D, f'

3|, 32, 33, and 34 between sets of supporting rings 25, 24, 23, 22 and 2I, respectively. The sections of the secondary ltering compartment are indicated at 35, 36, `3'I, 38 and 39, filled with'bone char, ltering clay, or f ullers earth and the like.

upper head 6 by means of screws 43. The upper detachable head 42 has a depending central cylindricalI portion which serves as a plug to close the upper end of the secondary ltering compartment. The upper detachable head 42 also has an upwardly extending central portion which directly abuts against head 2`of the enclosing casing when the lter unitis locked in position and connection established with oildischarge pipe 4 as shown in Fig. 1. Y

The casing I is bowl-shaped atits lower exof the casing I, as indicated at 44, and may be drawn off from time to time by removing drain plug 45.

When it is desired to clean or recondition the filter, the filter unit is removed from the casing I as represented in Fig. 5, and is mounted on a suitable support such as indicated by the dotted lines 50, and a pipe 46 screwed into the upper detachable head 42 of the filter unit. Compressed air is blown through pipe 46 and passes through the primary and secondary filtering compartments in a direction opposite to the normal direction of flow of the oil through the filter. The electrical'heating coil I4 is connected to the power supply'circuit 41 through switch 48 and connection 4S suitably secured beneath one 4of the securing screws 43 grounded to the casing bestos becomes substantially reconditioned and asbestos, and an electrical heating winding embedded in said packed asbestos and terminating in electrical terminals at opposite ends of said filter unit.

2. A filter unit comprising a mass of packed I cardedasbestos. disposed in one portion of said filter unit, masses of filtering clay disposed in another portion of said filter unit, and an electrical heating winding extending through said packed mass of carded asbestos.

3. An oil filter comprising a casing, a lter unit removably mounted in said casing, said filter unit being divided into separate compartments, one of said compartments containing a mass of packed asbestos fibres, another of said compartments including a multiplicity of sections disposed in series, screen members separating each of the sections of said last mentioned compartment, and filtering clay in the sections of the last mentioned compartment, said filter unit and the designated filtering mediums adapted to be subjected to high temperatures to facilitate the cleansing thereof.

4. A filter unit including a central tubular member having laterally disposed flanges at opposite ends thereof, and apairofcylindricalscreen members concentrically disposed about said tubular member in spaced positions between said flanges, a packed maas of cardedl asbestos disposed between said screen members, ltering clay disposed within said central tubular member, and means for directing oil through the packed mass of carded asbestos and through said filtering clay.

5. An oil filter comprising a casing, afilter unit removably mounted within said casing, oil

inlet and discharge connections for said casing and connected with said filter unit, said filter unit being divided into a pair of separate compartments, one of said compartments concen- 4trically surrounding the other of said compartments and being spaced annularly therefrom, the first mentioned compartment being filled with carded asbestos and the second mentioned compartment being filled with a filtering clay, said filter unit being removable for making at high temperatures without injury to facilitate the cleansing thereof.

6. An oil filter comprising a casing, a filter unit removably mounted in said casing, oil inlet and discharge connections for said filter unit extending through said casing, said filter unit being divided into a pair of concentrically arranged compartments including an outer annularly shaped compartment having perforate side walls and-being filled with carded asbestos, and a central tubular compartment containing filtering clay, said last mentioned compartment having passages formed in one end thereof for directing oil filtered by said flrst mentioned compartment into said second mentioned compartment, the oil passing radially through said first mentioned compartment and longitudinally through said second mentioned compartment.

7. In an oil filter, a filter unit providing a container for a filtering medium, an electrical heating winding having the turns thereof spaced apart and disposed interiorly of the said container, means for establishing electrical connecf! tion with opposite ends of said electrical heating winding, and a filtering medium packed within said container and embedding the turns of said electrical heating winding therein.

8. A filter unit for oil filters comprising a substantially cylindrical container, an electrical heating coil having its turns spaced apart and disposed Within said cylindrical container, means for establishing electrical connection with opposite ends of said electrical heating coil, and an oil filtering medium packed in said container and around the turns of said electrical heating coil. l

9. An oil filter comprising a frame including a central tubular member having a laterally extending fiange at each end thereof, a filtering medium disposed within said central tubular member, a filtering compartment having side walls pervious to oil concentrically disposed about said central tubular member, said central tubular member being apertured for the passage of oil from the said pervious walls and the filtering medium therebetween-longitudinally through the filtering medium in said central tubular member,

a removable header at each end of said centralv tubular member connected with the said laterally extending anges, and an oil outlet connection in one of said headers for discharging the filtered oil.

10. A filter unit comprising a frame structure having va pair of end members, a central interconnecting member and side wall members interconnecting said end members, an electrical heating winding having its turns disposed in spaced relation between said side wall members, one of said end members being apertured between the connections of said side wall members therewith, said side wall members being pervious to the passage of air and oil whereby asbestos fibre may be blown through the aperl4 lannsasm tured end member and packed between said walls posed withinv each of said sections between said per'vious tooil and air and aroundsaid winding, .diametricallyeigtending screen-likelmembers, an

and means' for closing the apertured end of said independent i'llter unitconned between said end frame structure. ivianges and con'centrically disposedabout said 11. In an oil lter,'a'cartridgelike filtermemcentral tubular member, and coacting with the 5 ber, a filtering medium packed within said carl iiltration of oil througheach of said plurality tridge-like filter member, an electrical heating of sections Within said central tubular member,

winding extending through said cartridge-like and means for directing oil radially through said filter member and embedded in said iiltering meindependent filter unit and longitudinally 10 dium, and electrical terminals formed on oppothrough the lter sections in said central tubu- 10 siteends of said lter member and electrically lar member. l l connected with said heating Winding. 14. A lter unit comprising a primary filtering 12. A iilter unit comprising a casing having compartment containing asbestos fibre as the walls pervious to oil, an electrical heating Windltering medium,l a secondary ltering compartl ing having its turnsdisposed in spaced relament containing bone char as the iiltering me- 15 tion between said walls, means for establishdium, and means mounted in said-primary ltering-electrical connection with the opposite ends ing compartment 'for heating said unit to high of said electrical heating winding, and a iiller temperatures to facilitate the renovation of the 'ofV carded asbestos packed between said Walls lter unit after a period of use.

20 and around the turns of said electrical heating 15. The method of renovating an oil filter unit'go winding.. which consists in heating the unit containing 13. A filter unit comprising a frame includthe ltering medium to vaporize volatile matter ing a. central tubular member having end flanges collected thereby from the oil, and forcing comthereon, a plurality of screen-like members expressed air through the ltering medium in the tending diametrically at spaced intervals within direction opposite to the normal iow of oil thereg5 said central' tubular member for dividing said through to discharge the vaporized material and central tubular member into a multiplicity of all solid matter collected from the oil.

sections, an amorphous filtering medium dis- ROBERT H. PENNEBAKEIR.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.-

Patent No. 2,103,145Li. December 28, 195'?.

ROBERT H PENNEBAKER It is hareby ecertifded that error appears-fin the printed specification of' the above numbered patent requiring correction'as. follows: Page 5, second column, line l2,` claim 5, for the word "making" read baking; and that the Signed and sealed this 22nd day-of February, A.- D. 1958e Henry Van Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

